FOREVER KNIGHTS: #4 Battling Black Roses

Nightway Castle, Nightway

ALAZAR

“Am I a little fool?” Riaura blurted customarily. Pensively studying a butterfly perched on her finger. Red and brown highlights in her hair dimmed by sunlight heating the gold layers.

“You’re no fool.” He inspected his tunic for blood from last night’s chaos. Finding none, he sat and pulled a bit of wood from his pocket. “Where’s this coming from?”

“Marod. She says I’ll be no kind of queen.”

Of course she does.

“You’ll be an exceptional queen someday.” His lips whitened as he averted his attention to the squirrel he whittled for her this morning.

“You think so?” She straightened from the rock she’d rested her elbows on. Her movement caused the butterfly to abandon his roost. Flying past her tangle of blonde curls.

Alazar glanced at her. The vibrant scene of her so vivid and bright after a night of blood and demonlings was a deeply odd sight.

“I know so Riaura.” He turned the knife to chop another angle. “Unfortunately, with your duties, you’ll have to face the world. There’ll come things I cannot protect you from. Things that’ll make you cry and break your heart.”

It’s the reality. But it still pains me to say it to her. The thought of it crushed him. Making him pause to eye the scrap of wood in his fist.

I’ll tear apart whoever seeks to harm you. He looked back at her, staring at him uncertainly.

Innocent emerald eyes made him fear for her like nothing else in this world.

Don’t let anyone hurt her. He sent up a prayer.

“If you need me Riaura I’ll always be nearby. In these woods.” He gestured around. “And happy to see you.” He forced a smile. Lifting his completed carving for her inspection. Gratified when she beamed at him.

“You better!” She grinned. Hopping up to rush over and examine it in his hand. “Beautiful!” She breathed. “For me?” She happily took it and delicately tucked into her skirt pocket.

“Of course.”

She carefully collected a smooth rock and found another for him. Slapping it into his hand so they could throw them together.

Alazareth haunted Riaura’s steps back to Nightway. Mindful of the Noni tracks he’d seen years ago. He worried stray Targue from last night could wandered back this direction.

He rounded the back of Nightway, horrified to see spring growth separated by a familiar black trail. Grimacing, he knelt to run his hand over barren dirt. Finding it clung thinly to his fingertips. Ash.

The trail led to a narrow door. The back entrance to the bailey.

“No.” Alazareth paced behind Nightway. Frantically looking up at the window slits along the walls.

What room is yours, little Riaura Nightway?

I’ve no idea. He shook his head, gnawing his cheek. Terror that even now the demon tortured the little girl shook him to the core. He wanted to rush in. To go toe-to-toe with Radix.

“I heard you.” His brother entered the trees next to him summoned by Alazareth’s panic. “What’s going on?”

“Radix is in there.” Alazar faced his twin. Eyes glinting yellow and his face hard. He gestured to the black path singeing the grass.

Even the leaves curling around their shoulders were black and wilted. Flaking apart when bumped. Radix’s shoulders had brushed them, blackening them.

“He won’t kill her. You know he won’t risk it directly. He needs someone else to.”

“Marod.” Alazareth changed direction, head swiveling with the feral movements of his wolf howling inside him.

Bast stepped before him and slapped a palm to his hard chest to drive him back.

Alazareth strained against the urge to go in.

“If you go in, I’ll follow you, and we’ll all die. Including your tiny friend. He’ll gleefully kill us each, starting with her for us to watch. But if it’s just her...” Bast nodded to the castle. “She’s no threat to him.”

“I can’t let her to die…”

“He won’t kill her.” Bast reiterated. “Does he know she’s connected to you?”

“I don’t see how he could…”

“Then why would he hurt her?”

“Because she’s innocent! And that’s what he does!” Alazareth said hatefully.

“Sit with me.” Bast sat on a log, curling a leg up to prop his chin on his knee. Nodding to the spot next to him. “We’ll watch together, until he leaves.”

“And what if we smell blood? Or if she cries out?”

“Then we’ll commit suicide at your bidding.” Sebastian vowed.

“Fine.” Alazareth’s mouth whitened but he took a seat on the log near his twin. Intent on the high window slits.